Can You Own a Parrot in Minnesota? Laws, Permits, and Restrictions Explained

If you are wondering whether you can own a parrot in Minnesota, the short answer is yes for the vast majority of pet parrot species. Minnesota’s wildlife statutes were written with mammals like big cats and bears in mind, not companion birds, which means most parrots slip through without a state permit requirement. That said, “mostly legal” is not the same as “no rules apply,” and a handful of federal laws, city ordinances, and species-specific quirks can still trip up an unprepared owner.

Before you bring home a macaw, cockatoo, or conure, it helps to understand exactly where Minnesota law draws its lines, which species occasionally raise red flags, and what documentation you might need depending on where the bird came from. This breakdown walks through state law, federal oversight, permits, city rules, and the penalties for getting it wrong.

Is It Legal to Own a Parrot in Minnesota

Minnesota regulates exotic pets primarily through two frameworks: the state’s wild animal statutes and its “regulated animal” law. Neither one was built to cover parrots. Minnesota Statute 346.155, the law most people think of when they hear “exotic pet permit,” defines “regulated animal” to mean all members of the Felidae family except the domestic cat, bears, and all non-human primates. Parrots simply are not part of that definition, so the strict registration, microchipping, and inspection requirements built into that statute do not apply to them.

The other relevant law, Minnesota Statute 97A.501, governs “protected wild animals” and states that a person may not take, buy, sell, transport, or possess a protected wild animal unless allowed by the game and fish laws. This statute targets native and wild-caught species under state ownership claims, not domestically bred, commercially sold companion birds like African greys, Amazons, or cockatiels. In August 2024, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says owning or possessing these 11 animals against the law in Minnesota, and parrots were not among them, since the additions targeted invasive wildlife rather than pet birds.

One older, informal survey of state exotic-pet laws described Minnesota’s approach as fuzzy, no endangered or threatened species no clear definition, very subjective. That characterization still holds up: the state simply has not written specific rules for common pet parrots, so ownership defaults to being allowed unless a particular species or situation triggers another law.

Pro Tip: Even when state law is silent, your city or county may not be. Confirm both levels before you commit to a species.

That gap between state silence and local specificity matters because, as one exotic-pet regulation resource points out, just because an animal is legal to own in the state, it doesn’t mean the city you live in allows it, and many local cities and counties have their own restrictions on which animals are legal to keep. If you already keep an eye on Minnesota’s native wildlife, you have probably noticed this same layered approach with protected raptors covered in guides to Minnesota’s eagle species, where federal and state protections stack on top of each other.

Which Parrot Species Face Restrictions in Minnesota

Most common companion parrots, including budgerigars, cockatiels, and the many Amazon parrot species kept as pets nationwide, face no special ownership restriction in Minnesota. A few species and situations deserve closer attention, though, either because of interstate variation or because of their conservation status.

The Quaker parrot, also called the monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), is the classic example of a species with a genuinely patchwork legal status across the country. It is banned or restricted in numerous states because feral populations have established themselves in warmer climates and compete with native birds for nesting sites. As of late 2025, 14 states in the US prohibit owning Quaker Parrots: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Minnesota is not on that list, meaning Quaker parrots can currently be kept here even though two of the state’s closest neighbors, Wisconsin and South Dakota, prohibit them outright.

State	Quaker Parrot Status (as of Nov. 2025)	Notes
Minnesota	Not restricted	Not included on the current 14-state prohibition list
Wisconsin	Prohibited	Listed among the 14 states banning ownership
South Dakota	Prohibited	Listed among the 14 states banning ownership

Beyond Quaker parrots, ownership questions tend to shift from state law to federal and international trade law once a species is rare, wild-caught, or listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) and large macaws such as the hyacinth macaw are examples of species where paperwork requirements come from federal and international sources rather than Minnesota statute. If you are drawn to show-stopping size, the guide to the largest parrot species in the world covers several of these higher-scrutiny birds.

Color and origin can also shape which permits matter. Sun conures and other yellow-plumed parrot species are popular pets with no special Minnesota restriction, while many Australian parrot species kept in the US, including budgies and cockatiels, were originally subject to federal import controls decades ago even though captive-bred individuals sold today face no such barrier. The eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus), known for its striking male-female color difference, and the blue-fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva) both fall into the unrestricted category in Minnesota as long as they were legally bred or imported.

Federal Laws That May Apply to Parrot Ownership

Even where Minnesota law stays quiet, federal law does not. Three federal frameworks matter most for parrot owners: the Endangered Species Act, CITES import and export rules, and the Lacey Act, which makes it a federal offense to possess wildlife that was taken, transported, or sold in violation of underlying state, federal, tribal, or foreign law. These laws mainly target wild-caught birds and international trade rather than pet-store-bred companion animals, but they explain why species like the hyacinth macaw or CITES Appendix I-listed cockatoos require documented, legal origin.

Federal oversight also extends into public health. The Minnesota Department of Health tracks psittacosis, a bacterial illness sometimes called parrot fever, because most infections are typically acquired from exposure to pet psittacine (parrots, macaws, parakeets) birds. The department notes that infection with Chlamydophila psittaci is a cause of systemic illness in companion birds and poultry, and the illness is often referred to as avian chlamydiosis, psittacosis, or parrot fever in birds. Veterinarians and, in some cases, the public are expected to report certain animal diseases, since some animal diseases must be reported to the [Minnesota] Board [of Animal Health]. If you already own a parrot, our detailed explainer on parrot fever symptoms and prevention walks through how to keep your bird’s environment sanitary enough to avoid triggering a reportable case.

Key Insight: Federal law focuses on where a bird came from and how it was traded, not on the simple act of keeping a legally acquired parrot as a pet in your home.

Native Minnesota birds sit under an entirely separate federal umbrella. Species covered by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, like the raptors profiled in our guide to Minnesota’s hawk species, cannot be kept as pets at all without specialized federal permits for rehabilitation, falconry, or education. Companion parrots are not native migratory birds, so this particular federal layer does not apply to them, but the contrast helps explain why wildlife law can feel confusing: the rules genuinely differ depending on whether a bird is wild and native or captive-bred and exotic.

Permits Required to Own a Restricted Parrot in Minnesota

For the average pet parrot bought from a licensed breeder or pet store, Minnesota does not require a state ownership permit. The Department of Natural Resources’ permitting system exists for a different purpose: permits issued by the DNR may allow scientists, educators, animal control authorities, natural resource professionals and the public to take or possess live animals, animal remains, nests and homes for educational and research purposes. That framework is built around native wildlife, rehabilitation, and research, not companion birds purchased through normal retail channels.

Where a DNR permit does come into play is with threatened or endangered species. Minnesota law is explicit that a permit is required to take, pursue, capture, kill, dig up, dispose, destroy, import, possess, transport or sell live or dead endangered or threatened plants or animals, including their parts or seeds. A separate statute covering invasive and regulated exotic species similarly allows the commissioner to issue a permit for the propagation, possession, importation, purchase, or transport of a prohibited exotic species for the purposes of disposal, control, research, or education, though this framework was written with invasive fish, plants, and similar organisms in mind rather than pet birds.

In practice, a Minnesota resident is likely to need documentation only in these situations:

• Importing a wild-caught or CITES-listed species from outside the country, which requires federal Fish and Wildlife Service paperwork rather than a Minnesota permit
• Acquiring a bird that a breeder or seller cannot verify as captive-bred, since proof of legal origin protects you under the Lacey Act
• Operating an aviary, rescue, or breeding business large enough to trigger USDA licensing as an exhibitor or dealer
• Keeping a species your specific city or county has separately flagged through a local ordinance, discussed below

Falconry permits, which the DNR does administer for birds of prey, are a common source of confusion, but they are unrelated to parrot ownership. If you are researching multi-species aviaries or simply trying to understand the broader landscape of pet bird options before deciding what to keep, the overview of different parrot species and their care needs is a useful starting point before you get into permit paperwork.

Local Ordinances That May Apply in Minnesota

City and county governments in Minnesota have considerably more latitude than the state to regulate pets, and this is where parrot owners most often encounter unexpected paperwork. Saint Paul, for example, requires residents to obtain a permit for certain types of animal ownership, including rabbits, sheep, goats, pigs and other hoofed animals, ferrets, chickens and other fowl, bees, and more than three dogs or more than three cats. Standard companion parrots are not named in that list, but the ordinance illustrates how granular city rules can get, and residents with questions about a specific bird are directed to call the Animal Control Center at (651) 266-1100 for the full list of prohibited animals.

Minneapolis maintains its own separate animal care and control code, and city officials there emphasize that it’s important to know what license or permit you need before bringing home any pet that falls outside typical cats and dogs. County governments add another layer on top of city rules. Chisago County’s prohibited animal ordinance, for instance, requires that ownership or possession [is allowed] as long as [owners] meet all the requirements set forth in this ordinance, registration requirements, [and] the performance standards set forth as a condition of registration, and separately states that it is unlawful to possess non-native, (to Minnesota,) prohibited animals under its specific list.

Important Note: Local ordinances change more frequently than state statutes and are rarely indexed in one central place. A phone call to your city clerk or county animal control office is more reliable than relying on a general web search.

Here is a simple sequence for confirming your specific situation before you commit to a species:

1. Check your city’s animal control or municipal code page for any bird-specific licensing language
2. Call your county’s animal control department to ask about county-level prohibited or regulated animal lists
3. Review your homeowners association or rental lease for pet clauses, since these operate independently of government law
4. Confirm with your breeder or seller that the bird’s paperwork shows legal, traceable origin
5. Keep a copy of any permit, receipt, or health certificate with your veterinary records

If you are weighing a parrot against another exotic pet with its own local quirks, it is worth noting that Minnesota’s patchwork approach extends well beyond birds. Reptile keepers researching native species alongside imported pets often run into the same city-by-county variation described in guides to Minnesota’s native snake species, where wild collection rules differ sharply from captive-bred pet ownership rules.

Penalties for Illegally Owning a Restricted Parrot in Minnesota

Because most companion parrots are not classified as protected wild animals or regulated animals under Minnesota law, the penalty framework that applies to illegally kept big cats or primates under Section 346.155 generally does not extend to them. Where penalties do apply, they trace back to the specific law that was broken rather than to parrot ownership as a category.

Under the state’s protected wild animal statute, the consequence for unlawfully acquiring or transferring a wild animal is significant: the ownership of a wild animal that is lawfully acquired reverts to the state if a law relating to sale, transportation, or possession of the wild animal is violated. In practical terms, this means a wild-caught or improperly documented bird can be legally seized, regardless of how much the owner has invested in its care.

Local ordinance violations carry their own separate consequences, typically structured as civil citations, fines, or mandatory surrender of the animal, since it shall be unlawful for the owner, possessor, or any other person in control of a lot, tract, or parcel of land within [a] county…to knowingly permit any other person to be in possession of a prohibited animal or prohibited animals upon the property, residence or premises under ordinances like Chisago County’s. Because these are locally enacted rules, penalty amounts and enforcement approaches vary by jurisdiction rather than following one statewide standard.

Common Mistake: Assuming a species is automatically legal statewide just because your neighboring city allows it. Ordinance boundaries stop at city and county lines, not at species type.

Federal penalties are the most serious category and apply regardless of Minnesota’s more permissive state stance. Violations involving CITES-listed species, smuggled wild-caught birds, or Lacey Act trafficking can result in federal criminal charges, seizure of the animal, and substantial fines, since these laws are enforced independently of any state’s pet ownership rules. The safest path for any prospective owner is straightforward: buy from a reputable, licensed breeder who can document a bird’s legal origin, verify your city and county rules before purchase, and keep health and ownership records on file, much like the documentation habits recommended for owners researching talking parrot species known for long lifespans and correspondingly long paperwork trails.

Minnesota’s approach to parrot ownership rewards owners who do their homework rather than assume uniform rules exist. State law leaves most companion parrots unregulated, but that only shifts the responsibility toward federal trade law, city permits, and county ordinances, each of which can carry real consequences if ignored. Before you finalize a purchase, confirm your city’s current rules, ask breeders for documentation, and if you are still choosing a species, our guide to picking the right name and setup for a new parrot is a good next step once the legal groundwork is settled.